Trump names Caleb Vitello as acting director of ICE

President-elect Trump named Caleb Vitello as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday night.

Vitello has 23 years of experience at the agency and previously played significant roles in the deportations of illegal immigrants, Trump noted during his announcement.

"A member of the Senior Executive Service, with over 23 years of service to ICE, Caleb currently serves as Assistant Director of the Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs, where he oversees Agency-wide training, equipment, and policy to ensure Officer and Public Safety," Trump noted in his statement on Truth Social.

Before joining ICE, Vitello served on the White House National Security Council as the Director for Interior Enforcement, where he led a child and welfare safety initiative, among other things, according to his ICE biography.

"Caleb’s exceptional leadership, extensive experience, and commitment to ICE’s mission make him an excellent choice to implement my efforts to enhance the safety and security of American communities who have been victimized by illegal alien crime," Trump also wrote of Vitello.

Vitello's nomination comes as Trump's most controversial pick, Fox News's Pete Hegseth, faces an uphill battle while seeking Senate confirmation.